Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations
Helping organisations solve communication, engagement and change challenges through story
Recently, I wrote an article about why I don’t teach the Hero’s Journey; you can read it here. It got people talking. Not because people disagreed, but because people said they had a similar critique of the Hero’s Journey. In particular, as the default of what a story is in terms of point of view, form…
Why I don't teach the hero's journey in business storytelling — and why a framework built around one white male Western perspective was never universal.
The surge of storytelling: What it means and what it doesn't. Storytelling is everywhere, featured in job titles, strategy documents, conference themes, and LinkedIn posts. It’s touted as critical in business communication, culture, and leadership. There’s a lot of excitement and commotion, for good reason. As much talk as there is about storytelling, there is…
My dad has been in and out of the hospital for two different health issues. The past week has been a roller coaster of emotions, with progress on one health condition, until another one came along to derail any further progress. I was hoping for the best and fearing the worst. I was also waiting. Waiting for tests. Waiting for procedures. Waiting for updates. Waiting for a doctor to deliver test results.
When I teach storytelling, two letters are constantly popping up. A & I. Surprised? No, me either. Whether I am teaching pitching, values-based messaging or storytelling, I have to talk about using AI. Or, more specifically, how not to use AI in writing.
It began with a WhatsApp message from Arne, the creative genius behind the Future Skills Academy, a global learning community. He had an idea: “Let’s run a 30-day storytelling challenge.” It was a brilliant concept. I got to work, sketching out 30 days of prompts to help people tell a story each day. We launched…
When it comes to storytelling, most of us are familiar with first-person ("I did this") and third-person ("They did that") stories. But there's another oft-overlooked and engaging point of view: second-person storytelling. Let's explore what second-person storytelling is and why it's a fantastic tool for communication professionals who want to put their audience in the driver's seat.
One of the greatest tragedies in the world is not getting what you want, and the other is getting it. I believe that was Oscar Wilde. Like most of his one-liners, it hits hard. It feels more true today than ever before in this rapid age of AI.
Friend and futurist Simon Waller invited me to explore the future of acting on his podcast, The Future with Friends. It led me to a surprising place. The conversation evolved into a discussion about the importance of emotion in navigating life as a human being. It led me to reflect on how emotion shapes communication. Not as something that drives us irrationally as a holdover from our distant past, but as the feature that has allowed humanity to outpace other species and thrive in increasingly complex societies.
We all have quirks that make us who we are. Maybe your best friend always starts the day with one perfect cup of coffee, followed by an orange juice, and then waits exactly 30 minutes before eating breakfast. That's their ritual. It's something you remember about them, not because it's wildly unique, but because it's…
Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations 